1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to harvesters for grain and, more specifically, to filler blocks to be added to the clean grain tanks of harvesters to assist in complete emptying of grain from the grain tank.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Mechanized harvesters and/or combines are in wide use in the agricultural industry for the cutting, reaping and thrashing of grains, including corn, wheat, soybeans, oats, and the like. The harvesters include a clean grain tank in which grain that has been collected and thrashed by the harvester is stored on a temporary basis until it is off-loaded to a wagon, grain truck, or similar conveyance for transport to a remote location. The clean grain tanks are typically positioned at a high location on the harvester and have bottom surfaces which slope toward a collection or discharge auger. Gravity in combination with the vibrations and movement of the harvester act to move the grain from the perimeter of the grain tank toward the discharge auger. Certain harvesters, however, have structures in the clean grain tank which can act to trap grain and prevent its further movement toward the discharge auger. While this small amount of grain does not substantially interfere with the ongoing operations of the combine during a harvest season, grain that is left in the grain tank over extended periods of time, such as during storage of the harvester between seasons, will likely spoil. Such spoiled grain will then be discharged from the clean grain tank the next time that the harvester is used, leading to contamination of the freshly harvested grain. Moreover, the spoiling or rotting process of the grain can be corrosive to the components of the clean grain tank that are contacted by the spoiling grain. Over time the clean grain tank can be damaged and require expensive repair. Additionally, any grain that is left accumulated in the grain tank when the harvester is switched between crops will exit the harvester with the next crop being harvested and will be intermingled with grain from the next crop. For example, if the harvester has been used to harvest soybeans early in the fall harvesting season, soybeans will remain in the grain tank and will be intermingled with, for example, corn when it is next harvested by the harvester.
The grain that is trapped in the clean grain tank can be discharged from the harvester if the operator climbs up and enters the clean grain tank to sweep off the accumulated grain from the obstructing components. This is not only inconvenient, but also time consuming. It also poses a significant safety hazard in that the operator must climb the machine and enter the clean grain tank. Operators frequently also ignore the warnings of manufacturers to the contrary and will attempt to clear the trapped grain while the discharge auger is operating. If the operator attempts this unsafe procedure, he may slip or make a misjudgment and be in danger of having parts of his body or clothing caught in the discharge auger.